Trust Me
by elementneko
Summary: "Do you trust me?" She asked him, hand open for him to take. He just met this girl, only knew her name, thought she was crazy, but, odd as it was, he found that he indeed did trust her.
1. Different

"Just go to the damn store!" The woman screeched, fists balled and eyes narrowed.

Shikamaru sighed in exasperation. Why the woman couldn't go to the store herself was beyond him. Not only was he on the verge of sleep, as it was rather late, but she was constantly whining about how they never got out of the house and how was felt so trapped all the time.

"I'll go in the morning." He attempted to turn his back on her by turning so he was facing the back of the couch, but she didn't seem to like that.

"No you won't! You never do anything in the mornings, Shikamaru! You just sleep in! I'm left to do everything around here and you know they're supposed to be coming over tomorrow afternoon and-"

"Fine!" He swiftly stood up and didn't miss a beat when grabbing his jacket and slipping it on while making it out the front door. It closed behind him and he sighed in relief. Finally there was silence. A few stars were sparkling overhead and he was glad a few were out to take the place of his beloved clouds.

He had climbed down the few steps onto the sidewalk when he realized he hadn't grabbed his keys. Knowing his fiancée, if he were to go in, she'd scream his head off about how rude he was and how that was _just completely unacceptable_! He hung his head before shoving his hands in his pockets. Guess walking it was, then.

Shikamaru had walked to the store before, of course, and regularly it would take about 20 minutes. With how things were tonight and how he definitely didn't want to be home, it would be at least 30, maybe longer. He was vaguely sure she wouldn't mind, either. It might even give her time to cool off. He rolled his eyes. Who was he kidding? She'd huff and continue what she was doing, constantly muttering about how he was good for nothing, lazy, always late, and _blah blah blah_.

They had been engaged for eight months, eight long months. After the fifth month all they ever seemed to be doing was arguing, fighting. It was wearing on him. There were moments of random, sporadic peace that reminded him why they were getting married, but those moments were becoming increasingly rare. He wondered if she was starting to feel that wall between them, too.

The slight chill in the air was enough to send a shiver up his spine. But he breathed in the cool, fresh air and almost felt content. Going past a park that led to a trail, Shikamaru paused. He looked back the way he came and looked into the park. Willing to risk a furious fiancée, he meandered into the park and sat on a bench he was familiar with. It gave him a perfect view of the sky where the trees parted like it was just for him. Not too long had gone by when he just got up and actually laid beneath the parted trees, thankful there weren't any people around. Usually bikers made doing it dangerous, but there were none at night.

The young man couldn't tell you how long he lied there like that, enjoying the silence and the twinkling starts above him until he felt something nudge his side. His eyes drifted over and fell on a pale face full of bemusement. She didn't seem to be much younger than him, but her face was full of life, life that he no longer had, even being still young himself. Pale blond hair was illuminated by the moonlight and he could tell she had blue eyes, though they looked dark.

"Whatcha doin' down there?" She asked, staring down at him. Her voice was high pitched and girly, but it was also friendly and inviting.

He looked back up at her as though it were normal. "Laying down."

She smiled and rolled her eyes, tucking her music player into her jean pocket. The girl then swung her hair to her other shoulder and sat down next to him, still looking down.

"Why?"

While Shikamaru had been enjoying the silence, he didn't mind the girl being there. He still would prefer the silence, but her open voice was nice. It soothed his ear from the constant bickering that he lived with.

"It's nice." He motioned to the sky overhead and she glanced up. Her hands went behind her so she could more easily lean back and get a better sight, and she nodded appreciatively.

"It is nice. It's also late. And you're in a _park_." She smiled down at him again with mirth. He just shrugged and continued to look at the stars, counting them all over in his mind, connecting them, recalling all he had learned about them.

The girl chuckled to herself and shook her head, opting to follow suit. The silence didn't last too long when she got up, brushed off her pants and nudged him with her foot again. He looked up at her in question to which she smiled brightly to.

"C'mon, I wanna show you something."

He mused her invitation in his mind. Obviously it would mean taking even longer to get home, which would greatly infuriate Temari, but it also meant that he could be somewhere else. He should be going to the store, but he would already be getting yelled at. Besides, what was there to lose? The girl just wanted to show him something, right? And this girl seemed nice.

He stood up and brushed off his jeans. He then said, with a nod, "Okay."

She grinned and took his arm to lead him in the right direction before letting go. She walked with her head high and with such confidence it made him drawn. The smile on her face only dimmed, but it never really went away. There was purpose in her stride and he found himself wanting to get to know this girl more. He didn't know why, but he thought she'd make a good friend. She'd be different, unpresuming. He didn't know how he knew this, but it almost seemed obvious.

The silence was comfortable and it lasted a while. He was completely comfortable with the silence, but, while she seemed okay with it, she appreciated noise.

"So you often just lie over there?" She inquired, thinking back to where she found him.

He shrugged. "Not really, it just sounded nice at the moment."

The blond nodded as though she really knew what he meant. "That's my life, right there." She laughed and smiled brightly again. "By the way, my name's Ino!" She paused in their walking and stuck her hand out for him to take.

Shikamaru was slightly caught off guard by the girl's rather random introduction. He stopped just a second off from her and looked at her hand with mild interest before taking it in his own.

"Shikamaru."

She laughed again and he found it was contagious, smiling along with her.

"Shika, huh? Cute name! Mine, on the other hand, is so not. Named after a freaking boar; so not cool." She laughed again, though more contained and shook her head.

He gave a slight smile and yet again shrugged, "At least there's no comparison."

Ino gave him an odd look as though not sure what to make of what he said. The look vanished within just a few seconds before replaced with one of her bubbly smiles. "Well thanks, Shika!" She lightly nudged his arm with a loose fist and began walking again. He blinked after her before trailing after her.

"So if you don't usually lie out there, what makes tonight different?"

Shikamaru grunted and rolled his neck, feeling the pressures of back home. "I just needed to relax a little, my fiancée has been driving me crazy."

Ino nodded. "I see…" She gave him a quirky smile and a light bump, "Probably just trying to get you used to being married." She laughed and Shikamaru couldn't help but chuckle himself.

"Yeah, maybe that's it…"

He trailed off and she took the hint to not prod more about it. She got reacquainted with the silence and it was Shikamaru's turn to question.

"What brings you out here?"

"Oh I'm always out and about. This time of night it the perfect time to go all the places that are normally too crowded."

Shikamaru sighed. "The world's too crowded," he mumbled.

Ino rolled her eyes with a smile, "Exactly."

He looked at the girl next to him and wondered how he got to meet such a different person. Just being in the right place at the right time by chance, he figured. It wasn't often someone would easily take in to account his less optimistic view of the world, but this girl he just met did. And she even seemed to make it not so dark.


	2. Trust Me

They walked for just a little while longer, mostly in comfortable silence when Ino stopped at a metal fence. She zipped up her jacket and tucked her hair in.

"Here we are!" She took hold of the fence and started climbing up, ignoring the sign that said 'No Trespassers.' "C'mon!"

Shikamaru panicked and grabbed the back of her coat, just enough to keep her from climbing anymore and not enough to actually pull her off.

"What are you doing?" He hissed, eyes wide, glancing around to see if anyone was looking. Ino rolled her eyes and turned to get a better look at him.

"It's okay," She persuaded, "I've done this dozens of times." Once again she moved her hand to climb further and once again his hand stopped her.

"But what if we get caught?"

Shikamaru was never one for doing anything bad. Well, really, he wasn't one for doing anything at all ever. But it was different when doing something in general, and doing something bad. At least when doing something in general, he never had to worry too much about the consequences. But this was trespassing!

"We won't, I promise." Her blue eyes shined brightly and he was sucked in. "Do you trust me?" She asked him, hand open for him to take. He just met this girl, only knew her name, thought she was crazy, but, odd as it was, he found that he indeed did trust her.

He hesitated a moment before grasping her hand and nodding. Ino's eyes softened and she pulled him up, getting him on the fence. Ino jumped down on the other side first, Shikamaru only a second behind her. She could still sense his reluctance, so she put a hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"We'll be okay." With her eyes regarding his own, Shikamaru could only nod. She was so trusting it was almost scary. She smiled and nodded. "So let's go."

The distress that once gripped his stomach had fled and in its place took excitement from doing something even slightly close to wild and dangerous. It wasn't like him at all but he _loved_ it. Suddenly it was like they weren't even in the city – there was nature everywhere! Ino led him through the mess of trees and growth by her hand, and he wanted to know where she was taking them.

It didn't take long before she slowed and looked back at him with an almost shy smile. She pushed herself between some bushes and before Shikamaru had made his way though, he could hear her whisper, "I hope you like it."

When he emerged on the other side, he felt the air sucked out of him. It was beautiful! It was like a picture out of a fairytale. They were overlooking a lake with a clear overhead view of the sky, completely naked for all to see. What had made it even more of a sight was the fireflies; there were hundreds.

Ino settled on one of the many boulders surrounding the area and looked out at her spot. "I found this place a few months ago," she told him, welcoming him to her world, "I had run from," she paused, "a friend and found this. It brings me peace whenever I have a problem, you know? It's the one place that won't let me down, that won't disappoint or judge…" She trailed off and Shikamaru looked back.

What once was a beautiful, strong, confident young woman was a damaged girl who was looking for a piece of solace. He sat on the ground next to the boulder Ino was sitting on and nodded, looking out at the lake, then the sky.

"Tonight, where you found me; that was my place."

Ino smiled. "You know, it gets busy when it's daylight out. You could always come here, you know; if you want. I'll share my place with you."

His brown eyes slowly tore away from the stars, "Why would you share your place with me?"

Blue eyes looked right back at him. "Because I know you could use it."

A comfortable silence settled between the two and both relished it. To just be, and be with someone you can relate to; it was an ease neither had ever felt before. Leaving the place and going back to the real world was hard for both Ino and Shikamaru that night, though neither knew how bad it was for the other.

"I really need to get to the store… I was supposed to quite a while ago," Shikamaru apologized, completely annoyed he even had to go home.

Ino smiled and nodded in understanding. "That's cool. Just come here whenever, alright? Maybe I'll see you around." Her smile evolved to a full grin and Shikamaru realized he wanted nothing more than to see her again. It wasn't that he wanted to be with her in replace of his fiancée, it was just that she understood him. She hadn't tried anything with him, and she was nice. She was a friend.

She showed him the way out and hugged as if to seal their new found friendship, a promise to go again.

Shikamaru didn't bother rushing to the store as he knew Temari would already be asleep. When he got home, he smiled into the darkness of the finally still house and sighed. Putting everything away, he changed out of his clothes and slipped in to bed, not even bothering to send a glance over the woman's way. He fell asleep thinking of the girl and that peace.


	3. Closer

Shikamaru awoke with noise emanating from the closed bedroom door. He groaned and smothered his head into his pillow, not wanting to be awake just yet. The sounds wouldn't go away so the lazy man begrudgingly got up from the bed and out of the room. What greeted him was the smell of food that reminded him that her brothers would be arriving in just a few hours.

Temari noticed him and narrowed her eyes. "What happened last night? I sent you to the_ store_, not another town." Her hands were on her hips and she had her full attention on him.

He clenched his jaw and fought back a sigh; it really wouldn't help him in anyway. "I walked by the park, lied down and fell asleep."

"You fell asleep? You could have just came home and slept in our bed, you moron!" Temari's fingers twisted around the wooden spoon in her hand until her knuckles were white. The pressure stopped and she got quieter.

"I got worried."

"You still went to sleep," he pointed out.

"I was also mad." Her eyes narrowed again and once again her fingers tightened around the spoon.

"When will they be here?"

She rolled her eyes and looked at the clock above the stove. "You really should know, Shikamaru. They should be here in about three hours; at 1."

Shikamaru nodded and muttered something about a shower before going back to their room. He really didn't want to converse with her ridiculous brothers. One was annoying and perverted and the other was quiet, brooding, and actually scary. He was pretty sure they also didn't like him, which made the whole ordeal worse. With a sigh Shikamaru stepped into the shower, welcoming the hot water and the steam.

By the time he walked out to the main room, Shikamaru already had his shoes on and his hair up. Temari looked at him curiously.

"Where are you going?"

He shrugged and grabbed his jacket. "Just going for a walk, I'll be back later."

He closed the door behind him too fast to hear anything she had to say about it. Knowing her she'd just remind him to be back later, making a good impression on her brothers, they don't like him anyway, and _blah_. It was too much for him right now. He just wanted to peace he had the night before.

Hands in his pockets, he made his way to the spot the girl, Ino, had led him to. A ghost of a smile came to his face, remembering her. She was so different than the people he knew. He almost wanted her to meet his fiancée, but he didn't want his fiancée to change her, though he wasn't sure if the woman could change her. She seemed set on her way of life and her way of thinking. His smile grew. Maybe that's why he liked her. He shrugged off the thought when he reached their spot. Instead of seeing a dark sky littered with stars, he saw a cerulean blue sky and bright pale clouds. He made himself cozy on the boulder the girl had been sitting on a lied back, arms folded under his head.

It was so serene. It was quiet. It was quite a sight, too. Just staring into the open sky it wasn't long until he lost consciousness, a more peaceful slumber than when he had slept for the night. A familiar nudge was enough to wake him and when his eyes opened, he was staring into the face of one smiling, bright Ino.

"Glad to see you've become taken with this spot, Shika," she giggled and sat beside the boulder. "I see you like my perch, too." She laughed again and shook her head, her bright blond hair swaying to and fro. She smiled up at the sunny sky and in the daylight, Shikamaru could see how light her eyes really were – they even seemed to match the sky. And her hair, her hair was platinum blond. It was so much prettier with light shining on it.

With Shikamaru lying down and Ino sitting, their faces were about equal height and they were closer than before. He let his eyes run over her face and took into account all he saw. He didn't know if she knew he was studying her, but if she had, she didn't seem to care. Her focus was on the sky, though it often trailed down to the lake underneath.

They stayed in silence for a while, only the chirping of birds and the scattered leaves making any real noise. Oddly enough, Shikamaru was the first to speak, in his quiet voice full of annoyance and lethargy.

"Her brothers are visiting today." He made a face to which she quietly laughed.

"I'm guessing you don't like them?"

He rolled his eyes and looked to the sky. "No, not really. And it's mutual."

She laughed, "Oh, that's so much better! At least it's not unrequited." She smiled up at him and poked his side, trying to get him to loosen up. He looked down at her and shrugged though she could see his lips tilt up.

"Still doesn't make anything better."

"Would be worse if one of the parties were ignorant." She shrugged and this time he let out a small laugh.

"It would be odd," he agreed with a nod.

"It would be like, 'Why are they so mean to me? I think they're cool!'" She laughed, "That would be ridiculous."

He smiled. "That _would_ be ridiculous."

"See? At least you're all on the same page."

His smile grew. "Right, at least it's a_ mutual_ dislike."

She grinned. "So much better, right?"

"Oh yeah, _so much_."

Once again they shared a comfortable silence. It was nice until Ino decided it was time for the both of them to leave.

"Alright, c'mon." She stood and pushed him gently to try to get him moving.

"Why?"

She rolled her blues. "You've got people to entertain and I have more world adventures to go on." She grinned and sent him a wink before pushing him again, this time a little rougher. He groaned and reluctantly shuffled off the boulder.

"I guess you're right…"

"Of course I am! Now, let's get going."

It seemed to be great timing that the girl had because by the time Shikamaru got home, Temari was still alone. She looked over from the kitchen with an eyebrow raised.

"I see you're actually on time."

"Were you expecting me to be late?"

"Well… Yeah, actually."

He shrugged and took a seat on the couch.

"So when should they be here?"

"A few minutes."

He nodded and there was silence. It wasn't as comfortable as the silence he shared with Ino, but it was better than being yelled at. It was better than fighting. Temari moved to sit in the seat adjacent to him and they sat in a somewhat awkward stillness. A knock on the door interrupted the quiet and Temari jumped up to open the door.

"Hey! I see you're finally here before us!" Kankuro greeted Temari with a hug and when Shikamaru stood, he slapped him on the back, a little rougher than necessary. Gaara enter the house quietly, only saying a soft "Hello" to the two and an extra glare just for Shikamaru. Shikamaru's jaw clenched in irritation and he sat back down, already wanting nothing more than to be back at their spot. Ino could even accompany him, he could use someone to have a light conversation with.

It was an awkward affair that only he seemed to be feeling. The three siblings chatted, well, not so much Gaara, and he was left out. He didn't really want to talk to Kankuro, but being left out made him annoyed. He shifted uncomfortably before standing and saying he was going to head out. Gaara sent him a glare but other than that he was waved off. He sighed and went back out the door, already headed for the one place that he decided was his own, even if he did share it with another person.

When he got there, he noted that Ino was already there. She was seated on her boulder – his boulder – her legs folded to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her face was buried in them and he was fairly sure she was crying. His brow furrowed in displeasure and he slowly walked to her.

"What's wrong?"

She gasped in surprise and her head snapped up, eyes wide and certainly watery.

"Oh, Shika!" She smiled brokenly and waved her hand at him while wiping off her face, "It's nothing, I'm okay." She gave a shaky laugh, "Just life getting to me a little, you know?" She sniffed and found that while she wiped away tears, more were taking their place.

He frowned and went closer to her. "I know." He pulled her to her chest and let her cry on him, ignoring how his shirt was dampening. She grasped his shirt in her hands and his hold tightened, wishing to comfort her more. "It's okay," he whispered, rubbing her back. She nodded her head into him, trying to believe him.

Finally she calmed down and soon they were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the large rock. He urged her to tell him about it and she did.

"It really is just life," She started with a sigh, "I go on with a smile all the time, because, really, in such a broken world someone should be positive." She gave him a weak smile, "But I have my own problems, too. I guess this is just my way of letting it out…" She sniffed and he hooked his arm around her shoulders, once again pulling her toward him.

"You could always talk to me, Ino." His voice was soft and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. No one had had her best interest in mind.

"No, I couldn't burden you with that, I know you have your own stuff to worry about."

He rolled his eyes. "We're friends. Isn't that what friends do?"

"I guess…" She grumbled. "But then I'll be nothing but complain-y and you'll grow sick of me and get mad and-!"

"Ino! Calm down! Geez," He sighed and shook his head, bringing her closer. "I kind of like you. So shut up."

She beamed. "You're so sweet, Shika!" She threw her arms around him and he grumbled though the smile on his face kept her hanging on.


	4. The End

Shikamaru's job kept him from going to their place mainly during the day, but he made sure to go as soon as he was done working. Temari usually got off work the same time but she went drinking with her friends so it's not like he had anywhere else to be. He had started thinking about their engagement and found he was no longer certain they should go through with it. They had now been engaged for a little longer than a year and he decided he wasn't happy with her. There was one person he was happy with and if it was with his best friend, not fiancée, then something was wrong.

He voiced his thoughts to Ino, who was currently dangling her legs in the lake.

"Well, have you guys been fighting much anymore? That used to be all you spoke about." She kicked her legs to make a splash and made sure to throw her boots further away so they wouldn't get wet. Her legs had a bluish tint to it and he wondered why she was even in the water.

"Actually no… It's been mainly quiet." Shikamaru rubbed his neck and thought more about what was actually a new revelation. Ino recognized the sound in his voice and turned to look his way.

"Is that bad?"

"… I don't know," he confessed, eyebrows furrowed. "I think it is."

The blond turned more and took her legs from out of the water. Her jeans were rolled up and she didn't bother unrolling them when she made her way over to sit next to him.

"What do you think you should do?" Her voice was quiet and all she wanted was for him to be happy. She had started to think that since he hadn't been complaining any more about her yelling that things were getting better. Obviously not.

He shrugged. "Nothing sounds easiest."

Ino couldn't help but smile at that, though she still rolled her eyes. "Lazy ass. You should talk with her about it. You guys could work it out or… Well, I don't know. But it's kind of serious, you know."

A sigh. "Yeah. I know."

She was quiet for a while before poking his side. "You wanna go up?" She looked up at their usual lounge spot and he smirked at her; his usual smile.

"Nah."

"Geez, Shika, you're so chatty!"

His smirk deepened and he closed his eyes, crossing his arms under his head. Ino followed his lead and ginned at him. It was nice to see something other than indifference or a frown on his face. He deserved to be happy.

On his walk home, Shikamaru felt at a loss; going home was something he dreaded now. He wanted to spend all of his time in that one spot. It made him happier than actually being at _home_. His stomach dropped and he knew Ino was right: He needed to talk to Temari. There was no way she was happy, either. And if neither of them were happy… Well, he just needed to talk to her about it first.

Face-to-face with the front door and he hesitated before going on. He knew she'd be right on the other side, waiting for him. Or was she waiting for him? He sighed and turned the doorknob, going inside. His eyes connected with hers and he could see the same discontentment in her eyes that he felt. She didn't move from her seat on the couch, but her eyes followed him. He slipped off his jacket and draped it over the side of the sofa before sitting down beside her, almost a full seat away.

"I think you know what I have to say," he started quietly, eyes downcast.

She looked away and her hands balled. "I think I do, too." Her voice was equally quiet.

He tried to see her face, to read her expression. "I care about you. I know you're not happy. I know I'm not, either." He heard a sharp intake of air and from the side of her face he could see a tear glistening. His heart pumped painfully and he hated what was happening, and he was sure she hated it, too. For a moment he thought about bringing up way they could try to fix it, but then he remembered how it felt with Ino at their spot. It was the happiest he had felt, almost ever.

Very slowly he reached for her hand, afraid she'd take it away, but she didn't. He held onto her hand and she gripped it tightly.

"I want you to be happy. You will be happy," he took a deep breath, "Without me."

A sob escaped her lips and she turned away from him even more, hating that he could see her so vulnerable. She couldn't deny his words, because she knew it was the truth. They could work and work and work to try to make them okay, but it wouldn't be okay. Even from the beginning it wasn't _okay_. But it was easy. And easy just wasn't enough.

"I love you," she whispered, tears in her eyes and a squeak in her voice.

His heart lurched. "I love you, too," he told her, "But we both know our love isn't the same."

Slowly she turned to look at him. She was the epitome of heartbroken.

"I know."

She leaned into him and he welcomed her, his arms wrapping around her shoulders while hers snaked around his waist. What seemed like hours went by before her grasp lessened and he knew it needed to be final.

"Want me to go?" His voice was muffled by her hair but she heard, and she nodded, though reluctantly. Neither had wanted it to end, but both of them knew it had to. He sent one final glance in her direction before taking his jacket and heading out the door. Only one of them could stay in the house tonight and he knew she needed it more. He had been coming to terms with their end, but he wasn't entirely sure she had.

When he made it to their spot, Ino was waiting for him. Hearing the shuffle of the leaves of the bushed being pushed apart, her head snapped in his direction and she immediately jumped up and walked over to him, eyes full of worry and concern. She put her arms around him and felt him doing the same.

"Are you okay?"

His grip stiffened, "I'm okay."

She nodded into his chest. "How is she?"

"Less okay."

His voice was strained and she knew he was less okay than he let on. She held on tight and when their legs began to hurt they sat on the boulder, hands clasped together. Time went by and the slowly setting sun had already disappeared. Ino stifled a yawn and looked over at Shikamaru, who was practically sleeping on her. Giving a little smile, Ino prodded him. "C'mon, we need sleep."

He looked at her groggily, blinking back sleep. "Know of a good place?" She smiled bigger.

"Of course. My place."

Shikamaru gave her a weird look. "I'm not sure…"

Ino rolled her blue eyes. "Oh come _on_. What? Think I'd try to get you in bed right after that? I do have class, you know." She smiled and pulled him off the rock.

"Don't worry; there's a spare room."

Shikamaru hadn't had much of a choice so he followed her, trailing about a step behind because of his sleep deprivation. The girl stopped in front of a small flower shop and he waited curiously as she took out a key and unlocked the door. She let him inside before locking it up again and leading him around the counter to a door that led to a bigger room full of flowers and a staircase.

"I'm up here," she told him, face dusted in pink. "Sorry that it's a bit small…" She trialed off and flicked on the light when they reached the main floor.

It was decorated with a medium gray couch with two purple pillows, a coffee table, a small T.V., a small round table with two chairs, and on the far side of the room was a tiny kitchen.

"It's not much," she shrugged, "But it's just enough." She threw off her jacket and pointed down the small hall. "Bathroom's right there." She walked to the hall and stopped at the first door, "And this is where you'll be staying."

It was a small room with a bed, a dresser, and a desk with a laptop and a chair.

"Sorry it's kind of bare…" She glanced around the room with a less than pleased face.

"It's just enough."

Ino smiled and gave Shikamaru a hug. "Go to sleep, okay? I'll be here when you wake up." She kissed the side of his head and walked to her own room. Shikamaru caught sight of a lot of purple and smiled weakly with a shake of his head.


	5. The Beginning

Three months had gone by since the breakup and Shikamaru found that he was doing surprisingly well. After the first week he went and collected his items, giving the rented house for Temari to use until she found a suitable place for herself. There weren't any hard feelings between the two, but both found that being apart was for the best and their friendship would have to be put on hold, if they even were to be friends again.

Living with Ino was strange at first but it turned out to be great. She was the perfect roommate and the best friend he had ever had. It wasn't too much longer after he moved in when he recognized that it wasn't the outdoor place that made him happy and that it was _her_. When he realized that, he made sure to keep that piece of information to himself so things didn't become weird between them, losing her friendship would be too much to risk.

"Hey, Shika!" Ino greeted Shikamaru, who was lounging on their couch, legs up and on the coffee table. She jumped onto the seat next to him and threw her legs over his, leaning back into the arm of the sofa.

Seeing her bright face made his heart jump in his chest and the lazy man cursed the muscle; it had been betraying him even more so than usual. She had become quite the distraction and it was getting hard to concentrate on anything else when she was with him.

"Ino," he grunted in a pathetic welcome, trying his best to keep his cool. This whole thing that was going on with him had made him a little bit weird, though he was vaguely sure Ino probably didn't like it.

The blond tilted her head at him. "What's wrong with you lately?" She asked, scrunching her face.

"Nothing," he replied with a strangled sigh.

Her pretty blue eyes narrowed. "Nothing? C'mon, Shika, it's obviously not 'nothing'. Did I do something wrong?" A frown was adorned on her face and it caused Shikamaru to let out a groan, throwing his head back and shutting his eyes tightly. He really didn't want to go through this right now, it was too much. He just wanted to relax, without any worries. Was that really too much to ask?

At his silence she stiffened. "Oh. I see." Anger and hurt bubbled in her chest and she swung her legs off of him and on the floor. "If you can't even tell me what I did, I guess I'll just go." She huffed and moved to leave. Shikamaru's hand struck out and grabbed her arm firmly to pull her back down. Ino blinked at him, a question clearly there.

"It's not… you," he paused, "It's me."

"Oh great!" She laughed dryly, "I totally believe _that_! Geez, Shikamaru, that's a pathetic save for someone who's heard it before!" She went to stand again but his hand stopped her once more and her glare couldn't be icier.

"Dammit, Ino!" Shikamaru sighed gruffly and rubbed at his neck. Ino sat there expecting an explanation if she wasn't even allowed to leave. She crossed her arms over his chest while he gathered his thoughts.

"You can be so troublesome sometimes," Shikamaru mumbled. Once again her eyes narrowed and she pouted, looking away.

"Well if that's all you have to say…"

"Would you give me a minute? I just… Wasn't ready." He shuffled in his seat awkwardly and set his feet down to better see her. Ino's curiosity was renewed and she faced him again, arms still crossed and an irritated, slightly hurt look on her face.

"Weren't ready for what?"

"This."

"…This?"

"Would you hold on?" He sent her a short glare and she obliged, face turning pink.

"You've been…" He paused and she held her breath, waiting for him to continue, "Distracting."

"Distracting?"

Shikamaru sent her another glare and she let out a small squeak before slamming her lips together and indicating for him to continue.

"Yes. Distracting. I can't concentrate when you're around me."

Her eye brows furrowed and it took all of her might to stay quiet, not wanting him to stop explaining.

He sighed. "So troublesome… I like you."

Her face was blank. "You… Like me?"

"As troublesome as you are and this is, yeah." This time his face was dusted red while hers remained vacant. "Well if that's it…" He went to stand.

"Sit down!" He did.

She shot to her feet looking very much furious at him. "You've been avoiding me like the plague, hardly even speaking to me, because you like me?!"

He could only stare.

"You, Shikamaru Nara, are an idiot!" Her fists were balled tightly and he was actually scared she'd hit him. Ino spun on her heels, hair flipping, and stormed into her room, ranting on about how clueless, stupid, idiotic, oblivious, and ignorant men were.

Shikamaru was only able to gape at her retreating back wondering what the hell just happened.

In a stupor, he slowly stood. Obviously he'd have to see about what happened otherwise it wouldn't be pleasant living with her until she either got over whatever it was that she was mad at, or blew up at him in the future. He walked to her room, thinking this whole situation was probably not good. When he reached the door, he stood outside of it for a while just thinking on whether it would be a better idea just to pretend the whole thing didn't happen. But of course he couldn't do that, not only was she his roommate, but she was also his best friend. He sighed and knocked.

It took longer than it should have for the door to open and when it did, Shikamaru was faced with one angry Yamanaka.

"What?"

And unfortunately, he hadn't thought about how he would answer that. He stared at her for a while and could almost see the anger grow with each quiet second.

"What's up?" The door slammed on his face and he let his forehead collide with the hard wood. Stupid move, Nara, he thought to himself.

"I'm sorry," he told the door quietly, "Talk to me?"

As soon as he heard the doorknob being twisted, he moved his head and praised his great timing. The door was thrown open and again Ino stared at him, slightly less furious than she was.

"C'mon, talk to me," he urged, "That's what we do."

Her anger slowly simmered down and he could see it before him; her jaw unclenched, her fingers relaxed and her eyes lost their irritation. She sighed and stepped aside so he could enter her purple domain. Ino plopped onto her bed, facing the ceiling and he sat down next to her, watching her with mild amusement.

"You're just an idiot," she told him, refusing to look at him.

"How exactly?"

Sparing him a glance, Ino's cheeks reddened. Her eyes went back to the ceiling. She murmured something softly and her cheeks seemed to ignite.

"What was that?"

"I'm in love with you, you idiot!" She turned over and buried her face into her silky purple pillow, trying in vain to become one with the bed.

Shikamaru stared at her once again blankly, what she said slowly sinking in.

"Oh."

She sighed and turned her head to him looking very bashful. "Go away?"

He arched an eyebrow, "Why would I want to do that?"

"Um, because I feel, you know, stupid?"

"Why? In your words, 'at least it's not unrequited', right?"

She blinked up at him, turning to face him all the way.

"What?"

He smirked. "C'mon, Ino, you're a smart girl, you can figure it out."

Blinking again, she slowly sat up, hope pooling in her eyes.

"You mean…?"

He shrugged and leaned back, watching her reaction.

A grin spread like wildfire on her face before Ino squealed and tackled the man with a hug, making them both fall backwards. Shikamaru couldn't stop his own smile from nearly splitting his face in two. With their arms wrapped around the other, both felt a new completeness that was different to anything they had felt before.

"Shika, you're my best friend." Ino's smiling face shined up at him and once again Shikamaru could feel his heart jump.

"You're mine, too, Ino."

Her grip on him tightened and she hide her beaming face from him, knowing it had to be as red as a tomato.

"You know," she spoke into his shirt, "I think we're supposed to be together."

"Really now?"

She looked up at him, radiating exuberance.

"I do."

He laid a kiss on the top of her head and felt how she pushed closer to him.

"You know, I think I do, too."


End file.
